Mr Francis Ng, chief executive of restaurant chain House of Seafood, told The Straits Times that the man fell in around 500m from Punggol Point Jetty, along the Punggol Promenade Nature Walk and in front of his restaurant.

"Some of my staff saw one of the people who was fishing at the area fall in... and he was swept away by the current," Mr Ng said, adding that the currents were quite strong when the incident occurred.

The area is a popular fishing spot, he noted.

Mr Ng said the man's family members were seen waiting around Punggol Point Jetty on Sunday as the search was underway.